Following dockBoss+, CableJive has returned with a new way to use Apple’s classic Dock Connector-based accessories with non-compatible devices. dockBoss5 ($30) is a simple plastic box with a Dock Connector port on one end, then USB and 3.5mm audio ports on the other.
The idea is to fit it onto your speaker, dock, or other accessory, and then use a self-provided Lightning cable for both charging and audio from iOS devices, or add the provided audio cable to pass music to the speaker from other phones and tablets. CableJive includes a micro-USB cable to attach non-Apple devices for charging purposes.
dockBoss 5 does just what CableJive promises: once a Lightning to USB cable has been connected to a dockBoss 5 that’s installed on a dock, a Lightning port-equipped iOS device can perform audio, charge, and if supported by the device, even synchronize data without the need for any extra accessories.
In that way, it’s very similar to how Apple’s Lighting to 30-Pin Adapter and Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter (0.2 m) work, with the only real advantage being some more flexibility. dockBoss 5’s audio port is unnecessary for iPads, iPhones, and iPods, serving solely to pass audio from another device’s 3.5mm audio port to the Dock Connector-based speaker or dock.
